A Top Chef Thanksgiving: Recipe du Jour

As a first course for your meal, how about trying one of the soup recipes we'll be posting over the next few days?

Top Chef Season 5 cheftestant Jeff McInnis's Apple and Fennel Soup with Blue Cheese Fig Custard (appetizer)


INGREDIENTS

SOUP
2 large shallots
2 handfuls fennel
Few sprigs thyme, sage
2 cloves garlic
3 Granny Smith apples
3 fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup cream
Salt and pepper

CUSTARD
3 egg yolks
1 cup cream
5 figs
1 1/2 ounces blue cheese
Pinch salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

SOUP
Slowly sweat shallot, fennel, apple, and garlic. Add wine and reduce by 1/2. Add chicken stock. Simmer on low and reduce by 1/2. Add cream and simmer with herbs. Puree till very smooth.

CUSTARD
Whisk yolks and cream. Crumble blue cheese. Cut the figs and season with salt and pepper. Mix all.

Place in rubber flex molds, sprayed with Pam. Bake in water bath at 300 degrees till custard sets, about 25 min.

Garnish with fennel fronds and slices of fig. Add brunoise green apple to soup for texture.

© 2009 JEFF MCGINNIS